Worcester Art Museum To Host Naturalization Ceremony For New U. S. Citizens

From The Worcester Art Museum: Fifty Central Massachusetts residents, representing 23 countries, will become United States citizens during a special naturalization ceremony at the Worcester Art Museum on Wednesday, January 11 at 11:30 a.m. The ceremony will be presided over by the Honorable U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The citizenship candidates will be presented by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with Judge Hennessy administering the Oath of Allegiance to these newest American citizens.

Matthias Waschek, the C. Jean and Myles McDonough Director of the Worcester Art Museum, will welcome the new citizens and guests. Colors will be presented by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute ROTC and Veterans, Inc. Musical selections will be performed by singers from the Bancroft School, and usher services will be provided by the Nativity School of Worcester.

Following the ceremony, the new citizens and their guests will be able to view the special Museum exhibition, Picket Fence to Picket Line: Visions of American Citizenship, which examines the multitude of issues that U.S. citizens encounter, including protests and struggle, education, land ownership, and the immigrant experience.

The 50 citizenship candidates originate from the following 23 countries: Brazil, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Thailand, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

They also represent the following municipalities: Acton, Auburn, Bedford, Clinton, Fitchburg, Gardner, Hudson, Leominster, Marlborough, Millbury, North Andover, Northborough, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sudbury, Webster, Westborough, Westminster, and Worcester.

Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is conferred upon foreign citizens or nationals after fulfilling the requirements established by Congress. After naturalization, foreign-born citizens enjoy nearly all the same benefits, rights and responsibilities that the Constitution gives to native-born U.S. citizens, including the right to vote.

WHO: Citizenship Candidates/New U.S. Citizens Honorable David H. Hennessy, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts Matthias Waschek, C. Jean and Myles McDonough Director of the Worcester Art Museum

WHEN:Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 11:30 am.

WHERE: Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609

CONTACT(S): Julieane K. Frost, Manager of Marketing, Communications and Design

508-793-4373

julieanefrost@worcesterart.org

NOTES:

Media should arrive at least 15 minutes early to allow time for set-up.

Image via Pixabay